


Adaptive stratigies

by ZHIREM



Series: A moral spectrum [11]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: M/M, No Beta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 22:06:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8685172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZHIREM/pseuds/ZHIREM
Summary: Perceiving the subjective is always problematic





	

Maria was standing at the front of the conference room as Steve and the other Avengers filed into the room. She gestured for them to sit, turned on a cued video and started her report, "The last sighting we have of James is in front of an ATM. He used a form of sign language that we haven't been able to identify as of yet. He signed for one and a half minutes before he was approached by a gentleman who talked with him shortly and then led James to a blue suburban truck. We were able to follow to the truck for several miles before losing them. Possible change outs might have happened at three different locations that are surveillance dead zones. The truck was found abandoned at a shopping mall parking lot. As of right now we don't know if he's been abducted or if he went willingly".

"I can understand the signing, it's his personal variation of one of the Hydra codes," Brock stated while walking to the control panel and rewinding the recording to watch the sequence again.

"So if you can understand it, what's Robocop saying?", Tony asked with a yawn.

"Winter was triggered twice by someone, he wasn't sure who, he heard the trigger phrase in passing, he wanted there to be some documentation that he was being triggered and was experiencing a mild fugue. He says that the second time he was triggered he recognized a German mercenary he did some work with in the 90s, no known organizational affiliation. The trigger words could be coming from Hydra, the Russians, or one of their offshoots...unless someone somehow managed to steal or buy the information." Brock replied to Stark while shrugging. 

"So pretty much anyone might have him", Steve said while clenching his hands into fists.

Brock continued to adjust the video controls and stated, "Winter has gotten good at overcoming the trigger words and phrases. It might take him awhile, but unless they rebuilt the chair or found some of the old chemical cocktails recipes, he should shake it off quick enough."

"And if they did rebuild the chair, how long would they be able to control him?" Clint asked.

"Depends on how often they use it and if they have a handler." Brock said while rewinding the recording sequence to the beginning and restarting it yet again.

Natasha stood and walked over to the video controls and said to Maria, "I assume that there are other videos of the roads leading in and away from the dead zones from various locations?" 

"Yes, we have footage from multiple cameras, the techs are still analyzing the footage and getting records of the vehicles and trying to track them to their destinations. But there were over 200 hundred vehicles within the time periods of interest. Its going to take awhile," Maria answered. "We have..."

"How likely are they to have a handler, what makes a handler special?" Steve asked interrupting Maria.

"Winter was trained to let the handlers get close, to not kill them when they attempted to disable his arm. He's killed a few handlers over the years, but not many. I'm the longest running one, the next after me managed 8 years before Winter killed him during an op that went sideways." Brock responded. 

"Wait, wait, wait, how often did he kill Hydra agents? Why did they let him do that?" Stark asked.

"Most of the handlers got killed on missions, but Winter liked to...thin...the herd, survival of the fittest was a thing. Winter did a good job of running interference for me my first few years as a handler. If he hadn't, I probably would have died as well, I was young, angry, and stupid---17 - 23 is not a good time for guys to be sensible and restrained." Brock replied with a self deprecating smile. 

Clint raised an eyebrow at that, "Is that when you two became involved outside of your professional relationship?"

"Hell, it seems like I've been 'involved' with Winter as long as I've been alive"', Brock said with a laugh. "But, talking about that is a waste of time, we need to focus on getting him back. That last part was a pick up request, he thinks he's going to need a control team to reacquire him," Brock explained.

"A control team, what's that?", Steve asked.

"Like I said, Winter was trained to let certain people get close, to touch him without killing them. Handlers can actually touch his arm to deactivate it. It's a good thing none of you tried or he would have attacked without thinking about it. Control teams are basically retrieval teams. I'm one of the few people he would follow with little to no problems, even into enemy hands. Which means that the guy who led him away might be a handler as well." Rumlow explained. 

"There were more then one at a time?" Tony questioned.

"Sure, Winter did a good job of keeping me safe when I was with him but I also worked for Shield and the army at various times. We weren't always together, I got injured sometimes even when we pulled missions together. Hydra wasn't going to let their 'Fist' sit around being useless without a handler," Brock laughed as he said.

"This isn't getting us anywhere", Steve said as he slammed his hand onto the table, "We need to do something, if they have a handler we need to find him before they turn James back into the Soldier and James starts thinking Rumlow isn't his main handler".

Brock sneered at Rogers and snarled, "If you think I would ever let some two-bit, jerk-off, waste-of-space steal my place, you are fucking mistaken! Winter is my asset! Mine!".

Bruce, who had remained sitting, raised an eyebrow at Brock's minor meltdown and asked, "What did Hydra do with handlers when the were not longer effective? No longer needed? You said that Hydra had more then one handler at a time. Why would you be worried about someone stealing your place?" 

Brock laughed as he ran a hand over his face, "Winter has...preferences...in handlers, some got...consideration. Others didn't. The ones who got consideration lived...the others...didn't. And as you guys know...he gives me all kinds of consideration." Brock said while continuing to laugh till he cut off and turned to Maria and ordered, "Play all available video we have on dead spots and video backtracking Winters route to the ATM where he signaled me...NOW." 

Clint watched as Brock seemed to morph in front of them, going from the guy he had been hanging out with into the Strike commander that had shepherded Project Insight's launch. 


End file.
